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Mitsuharu Misawa

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Mitsuharu Misawa
Born (1962-06-18) June 18, 1962 (age 62) (age 45)
Koshiyaga, Saitama
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Kamikaze Misawa
Tiger Mask II
Mitsuharu Misawa
Billed height185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Billed weight116 kg (243 lb)
Trained byShohei Baba
Dick Beyer
Dory Funk, Jr.
DebutAugust 21, 1981

Mitsuharu Misawa (三沢 光晴, Misawa Mitsuharu) is a Japanese professional wrestler. He became famous working for All Japan Pro Wrestling. Currently he owns, operates, and wrestles for Pro Wrestling NOAH, where he is the current GHC Heavyweight Champion and serves as the chairman of the Global Professional Wrestling Alliance.

Career

Misawa was a successful amateur wrestler. Competing in the junior age group, he placed fifth at the 1980 freestyle World Championships. Misawa was trained in professional wrestling by Dick "The Destroyer" Beyer, Shohei Baba, and Dory Funk, Jr. and made his professional debut on August 21, 1981 for All Japan Pro Wrestling. Early in his career, Misawa wrestled as Tiger Mask II, as All-Japan had purchased the rights to the Tiger Mask gimmick (which was originally owned by New-Japan). On May 17, 1990, during a tag match against Yoshiaki Yatsu and Hiromichi Fuyuki, he commanded his partner (and future rival) Toshiaki Kawada to unmask him, thus abandoning the Tiger Mask gimmick.

Weeks later, Misawa defeated Jumbo Tsuruta on June 8 in his first main event at Nippon Budokan; the match is seen as a turning point in the history of All Japan, with Misawa being established as a major threat and a new star. Misawa made his first challenge for the Triple Crown in July, losing to Stan Hansen in a decision match for the vacant titles after Terry Gordy was forced to vacate the belts. After losing to Jumbo in a rematch on September 1, he teamed with then-regular partner Toshiaki Kawada to place third in the Real World Tag League, beating the team of Jumbo & Akira Taue on the final day. Misawa again challenged for the Triple Crown in April, but fell to Tsuruta for a second time. Misawa continued his growth throughout 1991, pinning Terry Gordy in successive months in June and July, the second coming in an AJPW World Tag Team Titles match, with Misawa winning the belts for himself and partner Kawada. The pair made their first defence against the team of Tsuruta & Taue on September 30 at Nippon Budokan, with Misawa historically submitting Jumbo to end the match. Misawa then went on to dominate All Japan Pro Wrestling throughout the 1990s, with multiple Triple Crown and AJPW World Tag Team Title reigns. His rivalries with Jumbo Tsuruta, Toshiaki Kawada and Kenta Kobashi are legendary, with many classic matches against them. His tag-team partners included Kenta Kobashi and Jun Akiyama.

Following the death of AJPW head booker Giant Baba, Misawa inherited the position of AJPW president. After disagreements with widow Motoko Baba and being removed by a board of executives in 2000, Misawa left All Japan in May 2000; with him followed all but two natives (Toshiaki Kawada and Masanobu Fuchi) to form Pro Wrestling NOAH. NOAH debuted (billed as "DEPARTURE") on August 5 and 6, 2000, as the shows featured the 23 other wrestlers that had resigned from All-Japan. On July 18, 2004, Misawa returned to All-Japan and defeated Satoshi Kojima at Battle Banquet; he would return once more on October 31, 2004 for the Keiji Mutoh: Love and Bump pay-per-view event, where he (along with Keiji Mutoh) defeated Hiroshi Hase and Kensuke Sasaki in what was billed as a "Special Dream Tag Match."

In 2005, Misawa and his long time partner Yoshinari Ogawa returned the GHC Tag Team belts to NOAH from the New Japan Pro Wrestling combination of Yuji Nagata & Hiroshi Tanahashi. Currently, Misawa continues to wrestle a full-time schedule, competing mostly in tag team matches. At the Nippon Budokan on December 10, 2006, he defeated Naomichi Marufuji to win his 3rd GHC Heavyweight Championship. Misawa has defended the GHC World Heavyweight Championship against current ROH World Heavyweight Champion Takeshi Morishima, Takuma Sano & Top Gaijin Bison Smith. Misawa retained his title for the 4th time when he pinned Akira Taue after a Emerald Frosion Custom. On August 25, 2007 it was announced that Misawa would be on the November 2nd and November 3rd Ring of Honor "Glory By Honor" cards in Philadelphia and New York respectively.

On October 25, it was announced Misawa will be defending the GHC title against Samoa Joe.

In wrestling

Finishing and signature moves

Championships and accomplishments

  • PWI ranked him # 2 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1997.
  • PWI ranked him # 6 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
  • PWI ranked him # 6 of the 100 best tag teams of the "PWI Years" with Kenta Kobashi. in 2003.
  • PWI ranked him # 11 of the 100 best tag teams of the "PWI Years" with Toshiaki Kawada in 2003.
  • Best Flying Wrestler award in 1985
  • Match of the Year award in 1985 - vs Kuniaki Kobayashi
  • Best Flying Wrestler award in 1986
  • Most Underrated Wrestler award in 1988
  • Feud of the Year award in 1990 - vs Jumbo Tsuruta
  • Feud of the Year award in 1991 - vs Jumbo Tsuruta
  • Tag Team of the Year award in 1991 - with Toshiaki Kawada
  • Wrestler of the Year award in 1995
  • Tag Team of the Year award in 1995 - with Kenta Kobashi
  • Tag Team of the Year award in 1996 - with Jun Akiyama
  • Match of the Year award in 1996 - with Jun Akiyama vs Steve Williams and Johnny Ace
  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)
  • Wrestler of the Year award in 1997
  • Most Outstanding Wrestler award in 1997
  • Tag Team of the Year award in 1997 - with Jun Akiyama
  • Match of the Year award in 1998 - vs Kenta Kobashi
  • Wrestler of the Year award in 1999
  • Most Outstanding Wrestler award in 1999
  • Match of the Year award in 1999 - vs Kenta Kobashi
  • Match of the Year award in 2003 - vs Kenta Kobashi

Theme Music

Misawa's theme song "Spartan-X", is one of the most popular entrance themes of all-time and it remains the only song he has ever used throughout his career.

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